Printed circuit board connector

ABSTRACT

A high-density printed circuit board connector containing a first housing having a strip of contact blades having a plurality of rows of contact blades within the housing. A body of insulating material within the first housing contains at least a plurality of rows of parallel ribs extending between guide members. The ribs are arranged so as to form guide grooves with the narrow sides of said contact blades being guided along its length and being detachably retained in position. A second housing contains a strip of contact springs formed of forked contact springs electrically inserted in the housing of the strip of contact springs. The forked contact springs contain locking springs for insertion in a contact receptacle in said second housing and are detachably locked therein.

United States Patent Bernutz et a1. Jan. 18 1972 [54] PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD 3,467,944 9/1969 Hammell et a1 ..339/125 c e er 1 N ECT R 3 530 429 9/1970 S h 11 339/2 7 S [72] Inventors: Johannes Bernutz, Ludwigsburg- FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Hoheneck; Erich Klivar, Ditzingen, both of Germany 235,622 9/1961 Australia ..339/184 M 986,552 3/1965 Great Britain ..339/17 LC [73] Assignee: International Standard Electric Corporation, New York, NY. Primary Examiner-Marvin A. Champion Assistant Examiner-Lawrence .I. Staab [22] 1969 Attorney-C. Cornell Remsen, Jr., Walter J. Baum, Paul W. [21 Appl. No.: 865,045 Hemminger, Percy P. Lantzy and Thomas E. Kristofferson [30] Foreign Application Priority Data [57] ABSTRACT A high-density printed circuit board connector containing a Oct. 12, 1968 Germany ..P 18 02 821.2 first housing having a Strip of Contact blades having a plurality [52] U 5 0 339/217 8 339/17 LC 339/186 M of rows of contact blades within the housing. A body of insu- 1 H0lr 13/64 Hosk H06 lating material within the first housing contains at least a plu- 58] a 17 LC 17 L 176 M rality of rows of parallel ribs extending between guide mem- 339/l76 217 184 184 186 bers. The ribs are arranged so as to form guide grooves with M 19 R 3 M 49 the narrow sides of said contact blades being guided along its length and being detachably retained in position. A second housing contains a strip of contact springs formed of forked [56] References cued contact springs electrically inserted in the housing of the strip UNITED STATES PATENTS of contact springs The forked contact springs contain locking springs for insertion in a contact receptacle in sand second lsfiplkald housing and are detachably locked therein c wartz 3,404,367 10/1968 Henschen ..339/217 1 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures mamas JAN18l972 3536.503

SHEET 2 OF 4 Fig.4

INVENTORS JOA A/VA/ES amOJBFQ/VUTZ EQ/C'H (mm) KL/I/AQ m M f /M ATTORNEY PATENTED JAN 1 8 m2 SHEEI Q (If 4 INVENTORS JOHA/V/VES (nmh) BEE/V072 I ez ATTORNEY PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD CONNECTOR CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application was filed under the provisions of 35 U.S.C. 119 with claim for the benefit of the filing of an application covering the same invention filed Oct. 12, 1968, Ser. No. P 18 02 821.2 of the Federal Republic of Germany.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates in general to printed circuit board connectors and, more particularly, to a high-density connector consisting of a strip of contact blades and a strip of contact springs wherein the contact blades are arranged in several rows within the housing of the strip of contact blades, and forked contact springs are detachably inserted into the housing of the strip of contact springs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is well known to use strips of contact blades as connecting elements for printed circuit boards, with these strips of con tact blades, for example, consisting of housings of a plastic material comprising several pocket-shaped recesses, in which, within each such recess, there is mounted a one-row strip of contacts, by means of glueing or cementing, or by employing ultrasonic welding. The disadvantage of this type of connector is seen in the fact that the individual contact blades are firmly embedded in the body of insulating material of the strip of contacts, and that the strips of contacts, within the recesses of the plastic housing, likewise do not permit a replacement thereof.

As is well known, there is a considerable danger of damaging a contact blade in the case of freely disposed contact blades, s well as when these are arranged within a collar portion. Every damage which is likely to happen, will cause the entire strip of contact blades to become unserviceable, and it will be necessary to replace the entire strip. Since strips of contact blades with a particularly high-density arrangement are relatively expensive, considerable costs are involved in the replacement thereof.

It is the object of the present invention to avoid these disadvantages and to provide a high-density connector, consisting of a strip of contact blades and of a strip of contact springs, in the housing of which the contact elements are arranged capable of being interchanged or replaced. According to the invention within the body of insulating material of the strip of contact blades, there extend two or more rows or ribs arranged at a certain spaced relation and parallel in relation to one another which, by spacings, are separated from one another, and comprise sideway indented guide grooves in which the narrow sides of the contact blades, within the range of the entire length of each such contact blade, are guided and retained in a detachable fashion. In the complementary strip of contact springs, there are inserted forked contact springs comprising locking spring members which are inserted in special contact receptacles which are arranged in a locked fashion therein and detachably between opposite shoulders and projecting members.

According to one embodiment of the invention the body of insulating material comprises on either of the flat connector sides, one mask-shaped covering strip each which is arranged between the guides serving to contact with one another the ribs of one row, as well as the opposite ribs of the other row.

According to a further embodiment of the invention the ascendingly extending outer surfaces of the covering strips end up in chaser-toothshaped projections, with the outer surfaces thereof being arranged in parallel in relation to the plugin axis.

A further embodiment of the invention provides that the portion of insulating material following the projecting portions, and in extension of the guides, is designed on either of the flat connector sides thereof, to have the shape of a mounting eyelet, and that each such mounting eyelet is traversed by a bore hole.

According to a further embodiment of the invention a bracing strip, which is offset with respect to its thickness, is arranged between the aforementioned mounting eyelets and which, in the plug-in connecting direction, somewhat projects over these mounting eyelets.

According to a further embodiment of the invention the body of insulating material comprises a number of T-shaped recesses traversing the body of insulating material in the plugin direction, with the number thereof corresponding to the number of poles of the strip of contact blades.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, there is provided that within the body of insulating material, between the two rows of ribs, a chamber is formed which is open on one side, and which is restricted by the guides and which, with respect to the width of the strip of contact blades, is subdivided by a web or land portion which is arranged off center.

In another embodiment of the invention the one-piece contact blade consisting of the actual contact blade and of the connecting lug or terminal, comprises a freely cut locking spring, with the spring end thereof being directed toward the connecting lug or terminal.

According to a further embodiment of the invention the contact blade as inserted in the strip of contact blades, is secured in position on one hand, by the end of the locking spring as inserted in the recess of the body of insulating material, and, on the other hand, by the bent-off portion of the connecting lug or terminal which is applied to the rear side of the body of insulating material, thus preventing axial displacement.

According to a further embodiment of the invention the strip of contact springs, within its housing, and between the rows of forked contact springs, comprises a partition wall projecting over the ends of the spring limbs, and into which, with respect to the width of the strip of contact springs, there is cut a slot arranged off center.

According to another embodiment of the invention the locking spring as arranged between the limbs of the forked contact spring, is pointed with its backwardly bent lockingspring end, and in a freely disposed position within the central portion, toward the connecting lug or terminal of the forked contact spring.

Moreover, according to the invention, the body of insulating material, between each mounting shoulder portion and the first neighboring rib member, comprises a recess which, together with the recesses arranged between the three rows or ribs, serves to constitute a receptacle.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, the ribs, with respect to an imaginary line connecting the bearing surfaces of the mounting shoulder portions, are arranged in an offset or setback fashion.

According to a further embodiment of the invention the range or area of the contact blade together with the connect ing lug or terminal, as arranged between the contact blade and the connecting lug or terminal, occupies a position which is turned by in relation to the blade contact.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, in the strip of contact springs equipped with three rows of forked contact springs, there is arranged each time between the spring limbs of two adjoining rows, projecting out of the contact receptacles, a web or land portion projecting over the ends of the forked contact springs, with this web or land portion ending up in a flush-mounted or aligned fashion with the rim portion of the collar surrounding the ends of the springs.

Various advantages can be achieved in accordance with the embodiment of the invention. The contact blades as retained in position between ribs, are protected against mechanical damage. The one-piece housing can be manufactured inexpensively from plastic material. Since the contact members are capable of being inserted by machine from the connecting or plug-in side of the connector, the latter may be previously bent and readily processed in advance either individually or in a continuous fashion in the form of a comb. The replacement of individual contacts can be easily accomplished with the aid of simple means which are always available. A special coding prevents faulty insertions with connectors not belonging to each other. Since the coding is designed as a web between the rows of ribs, this web will serve to increase the stiffness or rigidity of the connector. With respect to contacts having differently designed connecting lugs or terminals, such as for soldering or wire-wrap connections, there may be used the same types of housings of insulating material. In this way, it is easily possible to equip one housing with different types of contacts in any arbitrarily combined arrangement.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will now be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 through 7 of the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 and 1(a) shows a strip of contact blades with the contact blades inserted, as mounted in a printed circuit board, shown partly sectionally, in a top and side view, respectively;

FIGS. 2 and 2(a) shows a strip of contact springs partly equipped with forked contact springs, in a longitudinally sectional top view, and a cross section shown in the side view, respectively;

FIG. 3 shows one portion of the strip of contact blades and, separated therefrom, one contact blade (blade contact), in a perspective representation;

FIG. 4 shows a strip of contact springs with a sluntingly attached strip of contact blades, in a cross-sectional view;

FIG. 5 shows an inventive type of strip of contact blades together with other connectors in a combined arrangement as mounted on a printed circuit board, in a perspective representation;

FIGS. 6 and 6(a) show an example of embodiment of the strip of contact blades, partly sectionally, in a top and side view, respectively; and

FIGS. 7 and 7(a) shows an example of embodiment of the strip of contact springs as mounted on a printed circuit board, partly sectionally, in a top and side view, respectively.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to FIG. 1, the strip of contact blades of a high-polar connector is indicated by the reference numeral 1. The body of insulating material 2 is manufactured as a onepiece plastic molded component. For receiving the contact blades 3 there are provided two parallel rows of ribs 4 which are arranged at a spaced relation which, in turn, are arranged separately from one another in the raster pattern of a predetermined spacing division. Between two ribs 4 of each row, the contact blades are retained in an interchangeable fashion. The sideway ends of the strip of contact blades 1 are each restricted by a guide 5 extending beyond the ribs 4. On each of the inner sides of the guides 5 facing each other, there is arranged a nose or projecting portion 6. The mask-shaped covering strip 7 which is provided on both sides'of the connector, serves to bridge one portion of all contact blades 3 and, by connecting the ribs 4 of one row, as well as by connecting the opposing ribs 4 of the other row with one another, extends from guide to guide 5.

The surface of the covering strips 7 pointing toward the outside, thereby extends in direction of the plug-in connection side in as ascending fashion, ending up in chaser-tooth-shaped projections 8 with the outer surfaces thereof, being similar to the outer surfaces of the ribs 4, and arranged parallel in relation to the plug-in axis. The portion of the body of insulating material 2 following the projections 8, is provided on both sides, and in the extension of the guides 5, with a bore hole 9 passing through the portion of the body of insulating material 2 which is designed to have the shape of a mounting eyelet 10. Between the mounting eyelets 10 there is arranged a bracing or stiffening strip 11 which is somewhat set off as regards the thickness, and which, in the plug-in connecting direction, somewhat projects over the mounting eyelets l0.

The contact blades 3 which are inserted in the body of insulating material 2 of the strip of contact blades 1, comprise a locking spring 12. which has been cut clear by way of punching, with the end thereof being directed toward the connecting lug or terminal 13. This connecting lug or terminal 13 itself, is first bent rectangularly in direction toward the side comprising the locking spring, and is thereafter again bent rectangularly in the opposite direction. A widened portion provided with a sideway recess or cutout portion 14, serving as the partial member 15 of the connecting lug or terminal 13 can be used, when employing ultrasonic welding for-effecting the nondetachable connection of the connecting lug or terminal within the body of insulating material 2.

A body of insulating material 2 is equipped in the following way with the contact blades 3: the contact blade 3 is inserted from the connecting side in a T-shaped recess or opening 16, with the locking spring 12 first being bent backward and thereafter, in the completely inserted condition of the blade contact, bouncing back into a recess or cutout portion 17 of the body of insulating material 2, thus locking the contact blade in position. By the end of the locking spring, on one hand, and by the bent-off portion of the connecting lug or terminal 13 as applied to the body of insulating material 2 of the connector 1, on the other hand, the contact blade 3 is thus reliably prevented from being displaced axially. The partial member 15 of the connecting lug or terminal 13 which, in the inserted condition of the contact blade 3, is lying in a countersunk fashion in a groove 18 provided in the body of insulating material 2, serves to protect the connecting lug or terminal 13 from being twisted.

As already described hereinbefore, the contact blade 3, when equipping the body of insulating material 2, is inserted in a T-shaped recess or opening 16. The ends of the transversal T-portions of this recess or opening continue in the ribs 4 as guide grooves 19, up to the end of the ribs. As is' shown in FIG. 3, these guide grooves 19 are arranged on either side of each rib 4. They serve to hold in position the narrow sides 20 of the contact blade 3 throughout the entire length thereof.

The: cross-sectional representation of the strip of contact blades 1 in FIG. 1(a), shows that within the body of insulating material 2 there is provided a slotlike designed chamber 21 which is open on one side, with the depth, the width, and the length thereof being restricted by the two rows of ribs 4, the central portion or member 22 of the body of insulating material, and by the guides 5. In order to prevent a faulty insertion or plugging of the strip of contact blades 1, the chamber, however, is divided by a web or land portion 23 which, with respect to the width of the strip of contact blades, is arranged off center, and which extends from the rib of one row to the opposite rib of the other row.

When using the strip of contact blades 1 as a connecting element for printed circuit boards 25 comprising conductor leads 24, the connecting lugs or terminals 13 of the contact blades 3 are again angled ofi on one side toward the wiring board 25, so that the ends of the connecting lugs or terminals will pass through bore holes or openings arranged in the wiring board. The electrical connection between the connecting lug or terminal and the conductor lead 24 is established in the known way by soldering. The mechanical connection of the strip of contact blades to the printed circuit board can be established, for example, with the aid of the tubular rivet 26.

FIG. 2 shows the housing 27 which is made in one piece from a plastic material, of a strip of contact springs 30 with the forked contact springs 29 detachable inserted in the contact receptacles 28. The contact receptacles, in accordance with the divisional spacings of the contact blades in the strip of contact blades 1, are likewise arranged in two parallel rows. In the portion of the housing 27 receiving the strip of contact blades 1, there is provided a partition wall 31 with the dimensions thereof corresponding to those of the chamber 21 in the part or body of insulating material 2. For mating with the web 23 in the strip of contact springs 1, a slot 32 is cut into the partition wall 31 of the housing 27. On the narrow inside walls of the housing 27 there are arranged recesses 33 for receiving the guides 5 of the inserted strip of contact springs 1. As electrical connecting elements there are used forked contact springs 29 consisting of one piece, with the U-shapedly bent central member 34 thereof comprising limiting stop shoulders 36 on either side of the locking spring 35. In the extension of the web between the U-limbs, the locking spring 35 initially extends in direction of the spring limbs, and thereafter bends backwardly between them, so that the end of the locking spring, within the central member 34, will point in a freely standing manner toward the connecting lug or terminal 37 of the forked contact spring 29.

When inserting the forked contact spring 29 from the connecting side into the contact receptacle 28 of the housing 27, the projecting member 38 as arranged inside the contact receptacle, will effect an inward deflection of the locking spring 35. As soon as the limiting stop shoulder 36 will meet against the opposite shoulder 39 of the housing 27, as constituted by a constriction in the contact receptacle 28, then the locking spring 35, behind the projecting portion 38, will jump back into its tensionless position, for locking the forked contact spring 29 in position. The partial member of the locking spring 35 projecting over the central member 34, and extending parallel in relation to the plug-in axis, is lying in a countersunk fashion within a groove 40.

The housing 27 is so dimensioned that the spring limbs of the contact receptacles 28 as equipped with forked contact springs 29, will project with somewhat half their length out of the contact receptacles, but are still exceeded by the partition wall 31 as arranged between the rows of forked contact springs. The partition wall 31 itself, in turn, still has a vertical spacing between it and the marginal edge of the housing. By this stepped arrangement of the edge of the housing, the partition wall, and the end of the forked contact spring, the forked contact springs in no inclined position of a slantingly applied strip of contact blades 1, can be touched by the guide portions (FlG. 4).

FIG. 5 shows an 1 1 contact connector 41 and a 33 contact connector 42 of the conventional type, comprising the inventive strip of contact blades 1 in a combined construction, as mounted to a drawer or plug-in channel 43. From this representation it may be taken that the strip of contact blades 1 requires the same mounting space as an l 1 contact connector 41, but comprising, however, double the number of contacts.

ln strip of contact blades 44 as shown in FIG. 6, the body of insulating material 45 is designed to receive contact blades 46 arranged in three rows. This is a modified type of embodiment of the strip of contact blades 1 according to FIG. 1. The sideway mounting shoulder portions 47 are each provided with a bore hole 48 traversing through these mounting shoulder portions in the plug-in direction. With respect to the surface 49 serving as a support for mounting the strip of contact blades 44, the ribs 4 holding in position the contact blades 46, are arranged in a somewhat setback fashion. Between the mounting shoulder portion 47 and the first neighboring or adjoining rib 4, the body of insulating material 45 is provided with a recess or cavity 50 which, together with the recesses or cavities 51 arranged between the three rows of ribs 4, from a receptacle.

The area or portion 53 of the contact blade 46 designed in a widened fashion between the contact blade and the connecting lug or terminal 52, is arranged by being turned by with respect to the contact blade including the connecting lug or terminal, One of its noses or projecting portions 54 as projecting on both narrow sides, is positioned in a cut out portion 55 acting as a protection against torsion or twisting, simultaneously constituting a limiting stop shoulder preventing an axial displacement of the contact blade in the plug-in direction.

Both the holding and the locking in position of the contact blade 46 within the body of insulating material 45 is substantially effected in the same way as already described hereinbefore with reference to FIG. 2.

lG. 7 shows the strip of contact springs WhlCh lS indicated by the reference numeral 56 and which is designed to fit as a coupling or connecting plug for the strip of contact blades 44. The contact receptacles 28 which are arranged in three rows, of the one-piece body of insulating material 57 are equipped with forked contact springs 29 with the spring limbs thereof as projecting out of the contact receptacles, being surrounded by an outstanding or projecting collar portion 58. Webs or land portions 59 which are flush mounted or in alignment with the collar rim or edge, by separating the rows of forked contact springs, extend from one narrow side of the body of insulating material 57 to the opposite narrow side. Between the central member of the body of insulating material 57 containing the contact receptacles 28, and the mounting blocks 60 which are arranged near the narrow sides thereof and in extension of the plug-in axis, each time two setoff portions 61 formed by a symmetrical cross-sectional reduction of these mounting blocks. The surfaces of the setoff or offset portions 61 pointing toward the plug-in connecting side, serve as supporting or bearing points 62 for the edge of a printed circuit board 63 in cases where, as shown in FIG. 7, the strip of contact springs 56, is mounted thereto.

What is claimed is: l. A high-density printed circuit board connector comprismg:

an insulator member formed of a plurality of rows of parallel rib members formed between said insulator member and grooves, formed in said rib members; and a plurality of electrical contact members formed of a blade member having parallel edge surfaces and parallel flat surfaces, each of said blade members edge surfaces being positioned between a pair of said grooves, each of said contact members being detachably mounted in said insulator member, a locking spring formed in said contact member blade insertable in a recess formed in said insulator member, and wherein a terminal portion of said electrical contact is rectangularly bent and positioned against a pair of surfaces of said insulator member, said bent terminal portion together with said locking spring member preventing axial movement of said contact in said insulator member. 

1. A high-density printed circuit board connector comprising: an insulator member formed of a plurality of rows of parallel rib members formed between said insulator member and grooves, formed in said rib members; and a plurality of Electrical contact members formed of a blade member having parallel edge surfaces and parallel flat surfaces, each of said blade members edge surfaces being positioned between a pair of said grooves, each of said contact members being detachably mounted in said insulator member, a locking spring formed in said contact member blade insertable in a recess formed in said insulator member, and wherein a terminal portion of said electrical contact is rectangularly bent and positioned against a pair of surfaces of said insulator member, said bent terminal portion together with said locking spring member preventing axial movement of said contact in said insulator member. 